Commerce might be looking up at Social Circle in the region standings, but don’t think the Tigers are only weighing the region implications of Friday’s game with the Redskins.

“It’s a big game for us – not just for that,” coach Steve Savage said.
For starters, Commerce (3-5, 2-2) hasn’t won back-to-back region games all year. The Tigers can change that Friday.

Commerce also hopes to defend the Tiger Stadium turf on Senior Night when 14 12th graders play their final games in front of the home folks.

What’s more, the Tigers are gunning for a three-game winning streak to close the season following a 2-5 start, the program’s worst since 1992.

“Right now, we’re just hoping to get to .500 and win the last two games,” junior Tiger running back Jon Cash said.

Commerce took the first step toward .500 Friday by romping 47-7 over Lakeview Academy (See story on page 3B).

“Our team has steadily improved all year,” Savage said. “You can’t tell it by our record, but they’ve improved.”

Which brings the Tigers to this Friday’s game with Social Circle.
If Commerce wins, it would control its own destiny toward earning a no. 3 seed out of the region in the state playoffs, thereby avoiding having to play the region champions of Region 7-A in the first round.
But to do that, the Tigers must get by what Savage calls a “typical Social Circle team.”

The Redskins (5-3, 3-1) boast several big lineman and offensive backs, “that can run real fast,” the coach said. Social Circle’s quarterback also runs well, throws a decent ball and “does a good job of leading his team,” Savage said.

Commerce has won 11 out of 13 games in this series. But the key to getting victory no. 12 over the Redskins is making sure that their skill players don’t get too much open space in which to use their speed.

“Not letting them get too many big plays,” Savage said. “They’re going to get some. They’ve got too much speed to shut them down on that. And, offensively -- don’t turn the ball over, make some first downs and we’ve got to score … We can’t let them get too far ahead of us.”

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